Lubrication of axles and the like



, in lffffa! P. G. QRAHAM LUBRICATION 0F AXLEsVAND THE LIKE Filed May 19 March 25, 1930.

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES .PATET E ,lzglCEpy` PERcrvAL GEoRGE GRAHAM, or ENEIELn, NEAR. svnNEY,vk NEW SOUTH wAnEs, 'j

AUSTRALIA LUBRICATION OF AXLES A111)4 THE LIKE Application :filed May 19, 1925, Serial No. 31,442, and Vin Australia J'anuary25, 1925.

This invention relates to the lubrication of the journals of wheels of' any description but more especially the journals of railway vehicles and has for its object the provision of means for ensuring that the journal be constantly flooded with lubricant so that the bearing surface may always be supplied with a full film of lubricant under all conditions of loading and in all classes of weather and at all speeds, the primary object being to keep the journal flooded with oil as long as there is any in the well and thus prevent the occurrence of what are known as hot boxes and torn brasses.

Various devices have been suggested for the purpose of applying lubricant to the journal and many have been tried in practice but the percentage of hot boxes is much greater than is necessary and the consequent delay and replacement of the affected vehicles are the cause of much unnecessary expense.

According to this invention oil is thrown from the oil well in the bottom of the axle box below the journal in a copious stream onto the underside of the journal by means of a blade or blades rotating within a casing into which the oil is allowed to flow, the said blade or blades being actuated by the journal itself and the usual wo-oden dust shield is recessed on one face to receive and retain a sealing ring of raw hide or like material and a ring of felt or equivalent material is let into an annular recess formed in the inner periphery of the shield yso that when assembled it bears tightly on the axle. Y,

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete axle box of a well known type showing the lubricating device and the dust and dirt excluding means,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lubrieating device,

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of part of an axle box showing the device in position.

Figure 4 is a sectional perspective view of Y the lubricating device,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a means for removing and replacing the lubricating device, and

Figure 6 is a, perspective viewof a suit- .able dust excluding and'oil retaining means .removed from its recess.

i The axle box 7 is of well known type and has a well known arrangement of brasses 8 and- Oil 'well 9.' The journal 10 is also well known.' v kOil is-thrown onto the underside ofthe 60 journal 10 by means of the radial blade. `11

- which rotates within the casing; 12.6 This casingyis circular vin sectionvand has along" `its lower edgega slot 13 and at each end bearings 14 in which the'shaftl carrying fthe 65 vbladell seats. The friction wheel 16 is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 15. The casingis secured in position bythe'pin 17 which vpasses through one side wall of 'theaxlebox and through the partition 18 in the 'oil/well,y 70

bearings 19 beingformed in the casing 12 to receive the pin. ProjectinoP lugs 2O are provided at each end ofthe Vcasing to keep it central and the wheel16 which is so situated as to engage the flange 21 of the journal is kept in 75 contact therewith by means of the spring 22 which bears against the bottom of the axle box.- By this means any rocking motion of the journal relative to the box is provided for, the whole device pivoting on the pin 17.

Oil flows into the casing through the longitudinal slot 13 and when the blade rotates is thrown out through either of longitudinal openings 28 on the underside of the journal 10 and provided there isl suiiicient oil in the 85 l well this action will be continuous. Moreover any dirt or foreign matter present in the well is left undisturbed and the direction of rotation of the blade is immaterial.

The device is assembled and placed in position as a whole, the only alteration to existing axle boxes being the drilling and tapping of holes to take the pin 17 which is secured in position by the nut 24.

In order to render the device more effective and prevent waste of lubricant and entry of foreign matter, a shield 25 is provided. This shield lits into a recess 26 in the box and is grooved on one face to retain a sealing washer 27 of raw hide or like material' whsh Presses .12@

Yzo

against the face of the recess. A felt or equivalent packing ring 28 is left into an annular recess formed in the inner periphery of the ring and bears tightly against the axle. The sealing ring of raw hide may be on either face.

The lubricating device may be placed in position and removed by means of the handle 29 of which the slots 30 engage pins 3l formed on the extension 32 of the shaftl. The bearw ing 14 is also extended to touch the end Wall of the box so that when the device is placed in the box with the handle attached using the flange 21 of the journalas a fulcrum the bearingsA 19 may be brought in position to res ceive the pin 17 the pointV of which is tapered to enable it to find the bearings 19 easily.

The number of blades on the shaft 15 as well as the size and disposition of the openings 13 and 23 may be varied if necessary to `suit different grades of oils.

It will also be seen that the deviceV is not confined in its application to the lubrication of railway journals, but it may be applied to lubrication of the bearings 'of 4any horizontal running shaft.

' I claim P K In axle boxes and the like for lubricating journals7 a cylindrical casing, a rotor journalled in said casing, a frictionwheel carried bythe rotor, a removable pin securing the casing inthe axle box and pivotally mounting-the casing medially of the box, and a pin l at the terminal ofthe rotor adapted for use in facilitating Withdrawal of the rotor.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature. f

PERCIVAL GEORGE GRAHAM. 

